Making the world better, one lawn at a time

Friday

Aug 10, 2018 at 9:32 AMAug 10, 2018 at 9:33 AM

Making a difference, one lawn at a time.

That is the concept behind the 50 Lawn Challenge, which encourages youths to mow 50 lawns for people who are having a hard time doing it themselves like the elderly, disabled, single parents or veterans.

The movement is spreading across the country and recently hit New Hampshire. Thirteen-year-old Jakob Schwarz, of Exeter, took on the challenge this week offering his lawn mowing skills for free for those in need.

We applaud the organizers who created the challenge and hope it continues to grow.

The originator of the 50 Lawn Challenge is Rodney Smith Jr., who started mowing lawns for free as a senior at Alabama A&M University. Smith, who received his master's degree in social work, got the idea after seeing an elderly man struggle to mow his lawn. He quickly offered his assistance and when he was done, he realized that a small gesture like mowing someone’s lawn can make a meaningful difference.

He then challenged himself to mow 40 other lawns by winter, and then 100 and now the initiative has blossomed into a year-round commitment.

Smith formed Raising Men Lawn Care Service, a nonprofit foundation, to not only offer his services but also to encourage and inspire young men and women to do the same.

Last year, he completed a challenge to mow 50 lawns in 50 states. He’s doing it again this year and asking others to make a difference in their own community by mowing 50 lawns.

"It's about letting them [kids] know that no matter how young they are, how old they are, they can make a difference,” Smith said in a recent CNN interview.

To join the challenge all you have to do is send Raising Men Lawn Care Service (RMLCS) a photo holding a sign saying “I accept the 50 Yard Challenge.” In return, the organization will send you a white RMLCS shirt along with shades and ear protection to get you started. For every 10 lawns cut, you will get a new color shirt.

Smith said the whole project is about teaching kids about service and “channeling the energy that youths have in a positive way.”

Mowing lawns, he said, will hopefully lay the groundwork for a lifetime of giving back.

Jakob Schwarz, of Exeter, is the first to take on the challenge in the Granite State but hopefully will not be the last.

“I was really excited to do it, I just wasn’t sure I could,” he said, adding there was not yet a New Hampshire branch of the foundation.

Jakob is already involved with several service clubs and groups aimed at preventing drug and alcohol use among teens. He’s part of the Blue Hawk Youth Alliance and took part in a summer program with the Dover Youth to Youth program.

He sees the lawn mowing program as an extension of the types of activities he already takes part in.

To learn more about the 50 Lawn Challenge, visit http://weareraisingmen.com.

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